Los Angeles Area Lakes, April 27 Report

FishRap StaffApril 27, 2017

CACHUMA: Wind has really hampered the fishing this past week and it impacted the 22nd Annual Cachuma Lake Fishing Derby this past weekend. Trout are the best bet after a 2,000-pound trout plant went in last week. The best action has been on slow-trolled lures or nightcrawlers drifted under a float. The largemouth and smallmouth bass bites have been fair to good with the fish still in the shallows for the spawn. The best bite has been on plastics, jigs, and small reaction baits with a lot of two- to three-pounders showing. Catfish are fair to good, mostly on cut mackerel in the coves. The crappie bite perked this week with a few crappie to two pounds reported. Bluegill, and carp bites are fair with a lot of carp up in the shallows. Carp bowfishing permits are available at the entrance gate, and quite a few carp are near the surface. Cachuma is 48 percent of capacity. Private boats must be inspected for quagga mussels and face a 30-day dry dock requirement before being allowed to launch. For quagga mussel and the boat launching information, log on here. The marina is open with rental boats available. The boat launch remains open, but boats must get a quagga mussel inspection. Information: 805-688-4040.

CASITAS: The bass action is still very good, although the fish are definitely on the backside of the spawn. Many fish still on beds, but it is a good post-spawn bite with fish up chasing baitfish (some guys are getting live shad). The bite is good on plastics, nightcrawlers, cranks, spinnerbaits, and small swimbaits. Fish to eight pounds again reported this past week. During a weekend bass tournament, Tyson Gustafson and Sean Frakes had to get 20 pounds-plus to win the event, with a kicker 8.32-pounder. The trout action has been pretty fair for anglers targeting the rainbows trolling Needlefish near the dam or drifting with nightcrawlers in the same area. The was a DFW plant two weeks ago and another is slated for this week. Some redear are starting to show in four to 15 feet of water. Jesse Newell, Ventura, landed a 2.5-pound redear, the best of the season so far, fishing a nightcrawler on Monday this week. Also a few crappie reports. Bowfishing is allowed here for carp and the warm weather brought them up to the surface this week. Carp bowfisherman many only shoot from a boat after 8 a.m., and lake staff must approve bows. Private boats must be inspected for quagga mussels and face a 35-day dry dock requirement before being allowed to launch. Casitas Lake level is 44 percent of capacity. The Santa Ana boat launch is open. Information: 805-649-2043 or casitasboatrentals.com.

CASTAIC: Winds hampered fishing this week. The largemouth and smallmouth bass are both good with the fish still shallow, but many in a post-spawn pattern showing on reaction baits. The best bite is still in less than 20 feet of water, with plastics, jerkbaits, and Flukes all good bets. The stripers are fair and improving on cutbaits, blood or lug worms, jigging spoons, and ice jigs in 30 to 60 feet of water. Most are two-pound class fish. DFW trout plant four weeks ago and some trout are showing in the backs of coves all around the lake. The bluegill are also picking up with some fish in less than 10 feet of water on meal worms and wax worms. The lake is currently 92 percent of capacity. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PIRU: Windy, but still a good bass bite for both largemouth and smallmouth bass on plastics with a major movement of fish up into shallower water for the spawn. Most are in less than 15 feet of water. Best bite has been on plastics and most of the bass are in the one to three-pound range, but a couple of six-pound class fish were reported again this week. Bluegill, crappie, and catfish are slow but a few bluegill are starting to show in 12 to 18 feet of water on small jigs tipped with bait. The launch ramp is open. Rental boats are also available. Lake level is 25 percent of capacity. Information: gatehouse at 805-521-1500 (or at camplakepiru.com) or call Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: Windy conditions this past week. Largemouth bass are fair to good with a majority of the fish in less than 15 feet of water for the spawn. The best bite has been on plastics and jigs. The striper bite is pretty fair with a lot of fish showing on trolled flies and swim baits, but bait anglers fishing sardines or bloodworms are getting fish, too. Most are 1-8 to four pounds. A DFW trout plant went in last week and three weeks ago. Fair trout action, with a few showing on small spinners, spoons, jigs, PowerMice, and PowerBait. There is a slow catfish bite on the cut baits. Bluegill and redear are finally started to perk with a fair bite in 10 to 18 feet of water on wax worms and red worms. Water level is at 92 percent of capacity. There is a health warning about eating fish from here (except the rainbow trout). More information at this link. Information: Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

LOS ANGELES/ORANGE COUNTY PARK NEWS: For trout plants, see the list in this report or go to the DFW website for any updates and future plants.